Simon McDonald says Olly Robbins was ‘thrown under a bus’ by the prime minister and the decision feels wrong

It comes after it emerged the peer failed security vetting but the Foreign Office still allowed him to take up the post.

Keir Starmer understood to have lost confidence in official over decision to override security vetting failure

Starmer says ministers were in the dark, but friends of former top civil servant suggest it was a case of them looking the other way

The most senior civil servant in Britain's Foreign Office has been fired former ambassador Peter Mandelson's security vetting not being disclosed.

Simon McDonald says Olly Robbins was ‘thrown under a bus’ by the prime minister and the decision feels wrong

Lord Simon McDonald says Mandelson scandal is the biggest crisis in the diplomatic service in decades

Exclusive: Helen MacNamara calls Starmer’s decision to sack Olly Robbins ‘unacceptable’

The 50-year-old, who has served three prime ministers at Number 10, will face MPs on the foreign affairs committee on Tuesday to give his account on the scandal

Robbins was forced out as Foreign Office permanent secretary over the Mandelson vetting revelations in the Guardian

Olly Robbins was forced out as Foreign Office permanent secretary over the Peter Mandelson security vetting revelations in the Guardian